Thread by @julieplec

Writer thread coming:

Did a panel yesterday at #screencraftsummit with @BenTheWriter. A ? was asked about whether episodic spec scripts were a thing of the past. It's also a conversation that ppl have been having on twitter recently (cc: @mindykaling)... (1/ a lot)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling .@BentheWriter really nailed it with his response to a room full of aspiring television writers. He said that writing a spec episode of a show you love is the BEST education you can give yourself about TV writing... (2/ a lot)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling In order to write a spec of an existing TV show, first you have to watch and study every episode. Then you have to read every script. As you're watching/studying/reading, you are being taught how to write for television... (3 of a lot)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling You're studying the CHOICES made over the course of an entire season or series. You're listening to and studying the RHYTHMS of the voices. You're drinking in the TONE. You're literally seeing how the writers format their scripts down to what kind of PUNCTUATION they prefer. (4)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling (sidenote: I hate exclamation points. If I read a script with exclamation points, I instantly hate it a little. If you read any script from any of the shows I've ever show-run, you'll be able to count the number of exclamation points on two hands PER SEASON.) (5 of a lot...)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling The job of a TV writer is to mimic the voice of the show. And that means being able to mimic not just the character's voices and choices, but to literally mimic the formatting. It sounds dumb, but it's true. (6 of....)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling (Interrupting the thread for one moment to remind everyone that every Showrunner is different and we all have different opinions about what makes a good writer on staff. These opinions are mine. Others may disagree.) (7 of…)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling Resuming thread...Once the Showrunner is confident in you and trusts that you're a good lieutenant for the show, then you can start to play. You can draw outside the lines. You can take chances with your own voice. (8 of...)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling Klaus and Elijah may have been born from Kevin and my brains, but it was @MichaelNarducci who quickly became the shining star of writing for them. He infused it with his love of Shakespeare and literature. He evolved past my voice and I began mimicking his.

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling @MichaelNarducci I like to think I'm funny, but it wasn't until @brettwmatthews wrote his first scenes of #Legacies that I realized the show was meant to be equal parts his voice and mine. Now I aspire to be as hilarious as he is. (9 and 10 of...)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling @MichaelNarducci @brettwmatthews Bringing it back around to writing the spec, bottom line is this: studying a show intimately isn't just a fan thing to do. It's an EDUCATION. It's your grad school. Breaking your own story and writing your own episode of it is your ASSIGNMENT. (11 of almost done....)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling @MichaelNarducci @brettwmatthews And yes, no one may ever read it and you're certainly never gonna sell it, but the more shows you study and the more specs you write, the more knowledgeable you will be. The more studied you will be at your craft. And the best part is, it's (mostly) free. (12...)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling @MichaelNarducci @brettwmatthews If you want to write for television, this is what you should be doing as much and as often as you can.

(end of thread. EXCEPT there's a new topic addendum coming that has a question that I need assistance with answering.)

@BenTheWriter @mindykaling @MichaelNarducci @brettwmatthews I say "mostly free." It's "mostly" b/c if you live in LA or know a writer on a show, you can usually get access to the scripts (by way of Writers Guild Foundation library, specifically). BUT WHAT IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN LA??? How do you get access to scripts? Please help answer!